Valve-stem packing



NITED STATES PATENT Erica.

VALVE-STEM PACKING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 230,132, dated July 20, 1880. Application led June 3; 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. J EROME, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Stem Packing; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art.

to which it pertains to make and use it, rei'- erence being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this speciiication.

My invention relates to an improvement in valve-stem packings, the object being to provide simple and durable valve-stem packing and guides, the latter serving to retain the valve-stem in line, and thereby preventV the valve-yoke from pounding upon the valve or cooking the valve, and also to prevent any uneven wearing of the valve-stem and packing encircling the same.

With these ends in view, lny invention consists, first, in the combination, with a stufiingbox provided with a face-plate having a tapering or conical packing-recess formed on the inner side, of an elongated guide for the valvestem located in the stuffing-box next to the valve-chest, and a spring interposed between said elongated guide and packing.

My invention further consists in astutingbox having an elongated guide for the valvestem cast solid on the inside of the stufngbox and adjacent to the valve-chest.

My invention further consists in the stuii'- ing-box having an elongated guide for the valve-stem cast solid on the inside 0i' the stufing-box adjacent to the valve-chest, said elongated guide having one or more annular grooves formed therein to constitute a waterpacking.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a stuffing-box embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate modifications.

In Fig. I, A represents a stuffing-box, which is constructed independent of the valve-chest, and adapted to be secured thereto by means of bolts inserted through the flange B and the end of the valve-chest. The stufling-box A has an elongated guide, C, cast solid therewith on its inner side and adjacent to the valve-chest, the opening D of the guide being turned out to snugly t the water-stem E. Within the cylindrical bore or opening D of the guide are formed any desired number of annular grooves, a, which fill with water in the operation of the device, and thus serve to water-pack the valve-stem.

F is a face-plate having a conical or tapering receptacle, Gr, formed on its inner surface, for the reception of metallic packing-rings or fibrous packing material H, the packing being retained in contact with the valve-stem by means of a spiral spring, I, one end of which is seated upon the outer end, b, of the guide C, while its outer end rests upon a followerring, J, which seats against the packing. The elongated guide C serves to retain the valvestem in perfect line, and thus prevent the valve-yoke from pounding the valve or uneven wear oi the valve-stern or packing.

When the guide C becomes unduly warm, the stuffing-box may be removed and the guide properly bushed, and in the event that the guide should wear unevenly the stuffingbox may be axially adjusted so as to cause the guide to be worn evenly throughout its length.

The water-packing grooves serve an important function, in that they serve to relieve the metal or brous packing of any undue pressure and wear, as they operate to pack the valve-stem in close proximity to the valvechest, and thus prevent steam from wedging the metal or iibrous packing too tightly within the tapering packing-receptacle. The spiral spring exerts a constant and steady pressure upon the metal or iibrous packing, serving to retain the packing in snug contact with the valve-stem, and to gradually feed the packing into the tapering or converging receptacle in the face-plate as it becomes worn away.

J' is a drip-pipe for the escape of water from the interior of the stuffing-box.

In Fig. 2 I have represented a modiiied form of construction, wherein the stuffing-box A is cast solid on the valve-chest.

K is an elongated guide, it being con-` structed with the `outwardly projecting iianges c c on opposite ends thereof, the peripheries of said flanges tting snugly within the stuffing-box, and thereby preventing any lateral displacement of the valve-stem which IOO works within the guide. A spiral spring, I, is seated at one end upon the iange c ot' the guide, and at the other end against a follower, J, which contines the packing-either metal rings or fibrous packing-within the conical or tapering packing-recess in the face-plate.

It will be observed that the elongated guide K has an extended bearing on the valve-stem and serves to keep it in line, as and for the purpose hereinbefore explained. The guide K may be readily adjusted or .removed for repairs or replacement.

In Fig. 3 I have represented another modication, it differing from the construction illustrated in Fig. 2 only in the construction of the elongated guide, which latter, as shown in Fig. 3, has the bushing L formed solid therewith. This construction lessens the number of separate pieces and joints, and facilitates the adjustment and repair of the parts. When the guide and bushing become unduly worn by long` use, they are readily removed and bushed, and when replaced form a perfectly tight joint again, and when unevenly worn may be readily turned within the stuifing-box to present new surfaces to the under side of the valve-stein.

The separate guide and bushing may be provided with any desired number of annular grooves to forma water-packing for the valve-stem.

It is evident that slight changes in the construction and relative arrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown and described.

I am aware that an elongated guide provided with water packi 11g-grooves has been east solid on the outer side of the head of a steam cylinder, and hence I would have it understood that I make no claim to such construction of parts. My improvement relates to stuffingboxes, the elongated guide being cast solid on the inside of the stuffing-box, thereby allowing the latter to be secured in the ordinary manner to the valve-chest; and further, by forming the guide on the inside of the stuifing-box, space is utilized and the box made as short as possible.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a stutling-box provided with a face-plate having a tapering or conical packing-recess formed on its inner side, of an elongated guide for the valve-stem located in the stuliing-box next to the valvechest and serving to prevent lateral displacement of the valve-stein, and a spring interposed between said elongated guide and the packing, substantially as set forth.

2. A stufng-box having an elongated guide for the valve-stein cast solid on the inside o' the stuffing-box and adjacent to the valvechest, substantially as set forth.

3. A stuiing-box having an elongated guide for the valve-stein cast solid on the inside of the stuffing-box and adjacent to the valvechest, said elongated guide having one or more annular grooves formed therein to constitute a water packing, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I'claim the foregoing I have hereunto setmy hand this 2d day of June, 1880.

ctms. o. JnaoME. Witnesses GEo. D. SEYMOUR, A. L. LAWRENCE. 

